Xi Jinping told Trump what he thinks about the peace plans for Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping has held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.

This was reported by China Central Television.

“President of the PRC Xi Jinping held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump,” the release says.

The heads of state discussed, among other things, the crisis in Ukraine. Xi Jinping emphasized his support for all efforts aimed at achieving peace. He also expressed hope that the parties would continue to “smooth out their differences,” and that a “fair, lasting and binding” peace agreement would be reached as soon as possible in order to “address the root cause of this crisis.”

Xi Jinping noted that after their meeting in Busan last month, China–U.S. relations have generally stabilized and begun to improve. According to him, China and the United States “both benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.” The Chinese leader also clarified Beijing’s position on Taiwan, stressing that the island’s return to China is “an important part of the post-war international order.”

At the end of October, U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted to involve China in resolving the conflict in Ukraine. Before that, Trump had wanted to discuss with Xi Jinping the possibility of influencing Russia “through oil, energy, or something else.” In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that “coercion and pressure will not solve the problem.”

On November 21, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, said that Beijing is ready to play a constructive role in achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine and in the subsequent settlement of the crisis. He added that China would continue to engage with all parties to the conflict, thereby conveying a balanced position of the international community.